Cotton-chopping machine



J. S. ELDER COTTON CHOPPING MACHINE Sept. 25, 1928.

Filed July 26, 1927 I? 9 Klara/ INVENTQR' 2o 1 will be of extremely simple and durable con- Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

warren stares v 1. 5.3 8. arser ewes.

JOHN SAMUEL ELDER, or GRAND'F'IELD, OKLAHOMA.

oor'roii-oiiorrrne MACHINE;

Application filed ui 26,1927. Serial "no. 208,489.

This invention relates to certain improvements' in machinery used in cultivating cotton,and particularly to a practical and 'useful machine having for its principal: object the rendering of the'thlnning or chopping and also the cultivation of cotton more'expeditious and cheaper.

This invention has for its object the pro;

vision of a plant thinning machine having a number of cutting devices which may be easily'adjusted to cut spaces of desired width and also'stand at any desired inclination rel- 1 ative to the surface of the soil and penetrate the. same to any desired degree, thereby; simultaneously removing all plants and other vegetation from a number of uniform spaces and also leave uniform spaces with plantsstanding for further cultivation.

v 'A still further object of the invention is'to provide a cross row cotton chopper which struction andembodying elevating means to drawings." I

Fig. 1 is aplan or vertical view' of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing how the beams 2, 2 in Fig. 1 are braced in the center,

- Fig. 1, and also the manner of adjusting the and alsothe location of the seat.

Fig. 4 is a view of the device by which the half sweeps are fastened to the beams, 2, 2,

2 half sweeps vertically.

Fig. 5 shows theclampw placed the inside in each corner to hold-the runnersand beams 111;pOSli3lOI1. a

1 Referring to the drawings in detail, the

supporting parts consist oftwo runners 1, 1 placed parallel to each other and about five feet apart, each runner having two holes in it about eight inches from the bottom, and about two feet apart through which two round beams 2, 2, Fig. 1 areprojected, the end of eachbeam extending on each sidefar enough to permit the placing ofthe device with the accompanying operating as a truck or a carriage on the outside of the runners 1, 1.

.. The removing of the undesired cotton plants and other vegetation is accomplished by means of half sweeps 3, arranged in pairs, one half sweep 80f each pair being placed on a different beam 2, with the wing of each projecting toward the other, thereby moving the loose dirt away from the small "plants that are left, thus avoiding covering them The half sweeps 3 are attachedito the beams 2, by means of a device shown in'Fig. .4, in whichaslotted sleeve 4 is clamped to, The half sweep 3 is beams 2, by bolt 5.

fastened to knee 6, Fig. 4. The sleev'e'4 has a slot at the rear to receiveknee'fi which is held in'p'osition by bolt .7. j

It is obvious that as many pairs of half sweeps can be attached as desired, and since each sleeve 4 is removable onbeani 2, the half sweeps 3 can be set to cut a'space'o-f any desired width up to one equal toothe sum ofthespaces cut by each; and since the runners 1, 1 are movable onbeains 2, 2 it. is possible to adjust the machine so as tocut out spaces of any desired and uniform width. I

, To further accomplish this" uniformity a sweep 8, having wingsof any desired length is placed behind each runner 1. This is accomplished by, fasteningsaid sweep 8 to knee 9, said knee being fastened to bar 10 by clamp 11, said clamp being held by bolts 12. Bar 10 .is attached to the, runners1,'1 by means of--bolts 13 and" 14. -Each. run-y :ner has a segmentaljslot 15, in which bolt 14 will. move as bar 10 is pivoted o'nbolt 13, thereby permitting the sweep 8 to beset at any desired angle in reference tO the land. Since'theknee 9 is movableoon L bar 10 said knee 9 c'an bemoved upor'down on bar 10, thereby permitting: sweep 8 to be setany desired depth in the ground. The yplacing of said sweep 8 behindeach runner ioo not only makes it possible to'leavespaces of uni-form 'width uncut but it. also makes it possible to'make use of runners having a broad base, thereby preventing, the runners from cutting. too deeply into the loose ground. I

The runners 1, 1 and beams 2, 2 are held in position by means of clampbraees 16 one braceldbeing placed in each cornerfof the V rectangle formed by runners 1, 1 and beams 2, 2 said braces 16 beingadjustably attached to beams 2, 2 was the arm each brace The beams 2, 2 are prevented from tilting parallel to runners 1, and when a rigid frame is desired the arms of braceslG are attached to runners 1, 1 means of bolts or turning by means of clamps 18 one on each beam, aving arms extending above and below said beams to which are attached bars -19 ejr'os'sing each-"other and being fastened inithe center bolt 20. Clamps 18 are drawn tightly to each beam 2 by bolt v22 and eaehelamp 18 is further isecuredirom tmia gon said beam 2 by means oi bolt 22 passing through both clamp 18 and beam 2.

23 shows extension of arm on rear clamp 18 to which a "seat is attached.

The mach ne is supplied with caster Wheels 24, 24 placed on the beams 2, 2 25 shows cuffs which slip over beams 2, 2 and tire movable on them. Ewch cuif 25 has an 1 arm venteqridirig upwardto which bar 26 is pivotedat w. 26 has an arched bar 28 attdched to it in which-notches are cut to reeeivthe plunger 29 on lever 30, the object oi whichis" to hold the caster-wheels 24. in the desired position Each eufl' 25 also hasv a p-rojeetion eirtend' ing downward and ontward,'eaeh project-ion liat ing a hole in it to receive the end of the- 7 3G "fork 32-holding the wheels 24. The fork 32 prevented from falling out of the hole in 1 which is placed by means of acotter key,

' extending through the upperend of said c It can readily seen 'byreferrring to Fig. fl'that'when the lever is moved forward the wheels 24 willenga ethe greund,

as shebin by dotted lines, an have a tendmay to lift that side of the machine clear of the ground, and it is clear that the other bathe other side would'do likewise,

. since both pairs are similarly 'constructed and whenbdth levers are moved forward far eneugh the entire "machine, except .':the

wheels, is cleared of the ground; i

1, 1 by means ofclevises andthe draft attachment: 33"aiid 'front beam 9, are

7 ifastenefltogetherfbylinks 34; a

By reference to the detailed' deseription hnd dfawihg it will be readily seen'that by lessening the nut on bolt 5, sleeve 4' be indWd either-Way on beam 2. ther'eey per beam 2'as'des'iied and by turning' sleeve adjustable. thereon longitudinally,

transport means for said machine carried drait attachment 33 is attachedtoa a vertical position toward a horizontal one, thereby changing the angle of the cutting dev ces as desired and by loosenlng the nut on bolt 7 knee 6 can be adjusted vertically,

thereby setting the cutting devices so they will operate at a desired depth and since knee 6 is round: it can be turned in the slot in sleeve 4, thereby permitting the Wing or blade of thehalf sweep attached to knee 6 to be set at any desired angle in reterence to thep'lanted'rom The machine is operatedby dragging it across the field in parallel rows or lines and nearly as can be at right angles to; the planted rows. F I I Having described my invention, I claim 1. A plant thinning machine comprising parallel runners, beams mounted transversely of the runners and relative to which said runners are adapted to be adjusted longitudinally, means for retaining the runners and beams in adjusted position, spaced 1 cutting devices attached tothe beams and transport means for said. machine carried thereby.

21. A plant thinning machine comprising parallel runners provided with spaced openings, beams projecting thru said openings, permitting adjustment of the runners longitudina-llythereof; means for retaining the runners and beams. in adjusted position,

spaced cutting devices attached to thebeams and transport means for said machine carried thereby. v 7

3. A plant thinning machine comp-rising parallel runners, beams. mountedtrans- "versely of the runners and relative to which said runners are adapted to be "adjusted longitudinal-1y, means, for retaining the runnets and beams in adjusted po-sition, spaced cutting devices attached to the beams. and and thereby. a a e 4. A plant thinning machine comprising parallel runners beatns mounted transversey of the runners and relative to Whichsaid runners are adapted to be adjuste'd longia 'tudinally, means for "retaining the runners and beams in adjustedposition, spaced cutting devicesatta'ched tothe beams and adjustable thereon longitudinally and vertically,- and transport means for said machine carried thereby. e In testimony whereof I aflix my, signature.

, JOHN SAMUEL ELDER. 

